Golf club



N'OV, 27, (jY LUSSKY Er AL 1,982,526

GOLF CLUB Filed Aug. l, 1932 eaeh of which is shaped Patented Nov. 27, 1934 PATENT OFFICE GOLF CLUB Cliord Lussky and Mortimer W. Brumleve.

Louisvill e, Ky.

Appueeuon'aunsz 1, 1932, semi No. 627.190 ,A

y 3 Clllms.

Our invention consists in new and useful improvements in golf clubs and relates more particularly to the handle or gripping l*member of the golf club shaft, having for its object to provide what might be termed a double grip consisting of a right and left hand gripping portion.

to accommodate the respective hand of the golfer vin the proper gripping position only. That is, we have designed a handle `which will automatically adjust itself and the hands ofthe golfer into the proper re1a` tive positions.

As the result of the inherent tendency of the human body to seek co-ordination ofthevarious members of the body so as to obtain a maximum of rhythm with a minimum of effort in the execution of agolf stroke, there has been a decided improvement in the manner in which the game of golf is played. This improvement has not alone been directed to the proper movement of the elements of the bodyr but to the material and structure of the ball, the golf club head, the shaft and the grip. Y

Although efforts have been made to devise golf club grips which will facilitate the proper handling of the club, little has actually been accomplished to assist the novice who is undertakingto learn the game of golf.

We are familiar with a number of these former eiforts which, for example, consist of grips which have been constructed with a series of grooves for the ngers of each hand and an indentation for the thumbs. Others have cut out portions of a normally round handle leaving angularly disposed grips for engagement by the hands, and still others have provided linger loops which are secured to the handles for receiving the lingers and thumbs of the player.

However all of these devices have failed to deflnitely and accurately x the grip of the golfer so as to insure the proper relative positions of the hands with respect to one another to bring the face of the club up to the ball at the proper angle to effect a straight and Vaccurate drive to the point of destination. One reason `for the' failure of a number of these devices has been that they were designed at a time prior to the modern development of the manner in which the game is played.

Ourimproved grip is so designed as to bring about in the very beginning a back-swing with a straight arm. By reason of the structure and shape ofthe gripping portions, the only comfortable positions `which the hands can assume is the proper position for the correct relative locaof the'head ofthe golf head of the club.

n ventional head 2 tion and movement kof the hands of the golfer. It is a generally accepted theory in golf that if the back-swing is correct, the stroke must necessarily finish properly. Consequently, wehave designed a grip whereby the wrist automatically v cocks itself, the thumbsand forefingers being so place as to Aget the maximum of power in the down-stroke. Once the down-stroke is in mo#- tlon, the forward hand accommodates itself immediately, both at the point follow-through. The foreilnger of the forward of contact and in the 05 hand exerts a maximum of power when the'club forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawing 3 and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the vdrawing in which numerals of like character designate similar parts throughout as the several views,

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation showing the relative angular location of the two gripping portions withl respect to one another and to the face club.

Fig. 2 is a similar view in side elevation look- 9 ing from a point in line with the face of the Fig. 3 is a rear view of the gripping members.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the gripping poras tions from the reverse side of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an end view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on line. 6-6 of Fig.'1.

Fig. 'I is a similarview taken on line 7 7 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the positions of a golfers handsin grasping our improved handle with an interlocking grip.

In the drawing, 1 represents the shaft ofa golf club which may be constructed of any suitable material and having at itslower extremity a conhaving a ball-engaging face 3.

The opposite end of the shaft 1 terminates inour improved double grip or handle 4 which may be formed integral with the shaft or secured thereto in any suitable manner. The handle 4 may be composed of wood and properly shaped either by hand or an automatic lathe or it may be cast from any suitable material or compositions of materials.

This double grip handle consists of two gripping portions 5 and 6, the former terminating at one end toward the head of the club in an enlarged knob 7 which gradually tapers rearwardly into a reduced neck portion 8 adapted to accommodate the thumb and forenger of the forward hand of the golfer. It will be noted from Figs. 1, 2 and 9 that this neck portion 8 is indented as at 8 for the specific accommodation of the thumb while Figs. 3 and 4 show an indentation 8b on the opposite side to accommodate the arched forenger of the forward hand.

The neck portion 8 merges rearwardly into a gradually enlarged body portion 9 which bulges outwardly and is substantially oval in cross section, said body 9 being adapted to accommodate and flll the encircling area of the remaining grip- 'ping fingers of the forward hand. The body portion 9 is gradually reduced towards its rear extremity and terminates in a second neck portion 10 for accommodating the thumb and forefinger of the rearmost hand of the golfer. As will-be seen from Figs. 1, 2 and 9, the neck 10 is indented as at 10 to receive the thumb and the rearmost hand, `and referring'to Figs. 3 and 4, said neck is indented as at l()b to accommodate the arched foreiinger of the rearmost hand.

The second neck 10 merges rearwardly into a second gradually enlarged body 11, the latter being substantially oval in cross section and bulging outwardly as in the case of the body portion 9.

However said body portion 11 is arranged at a slight angle with respect to the body portion 9 as will be seen by a comparison of the sectional views shown in Figs. 'l and 8, the purpose of such angular disposition being to properly adjust the hands of the golfer to the proper relative gripping position for the interlocking grip.

The second body 11 terminates rearwardly in a reduced portion 1-2 for receiving the little finger of the rearmost hand and from thence the handle flares outwardly to the rear end of the club as at 13, said iiaring portion being adapted to engage adjacent the heel of the rearmost hand of the golfer.

It will be noted, particularly in Fig. l, that the gripping portions 5 and 6 are arranged at a decided angle to the face of the golf club head, said angle being such, in the case of each gripping ponn tion, that when the hands are in the proper pon sitions, as shown in Fig. 9, the face of the head 2 will contact with the ball at an angle which is normal to a straight line drawn between the ball and the point of destination.

In constructing our improved golf clubs it is of the utmost importance to attach the head 2 at the proper angle, for the function of the club depends entirely upon the relative positions of the hands with respect to one another and with respect to the head of the club, and the position of the latter with respect to the ball in'approaching the same for contact.

Thus with a golf club constructed in accorde ance with our invention, the primary obstacle of the novice is eliminated and even in the case of an experienced golfer, the proper gripping oi' the club is facilitated.

While we have shown in the drawing our improved golf club handle as applied to a driver, it

is obvious that the principle of our invention may be readily applied to other golf clubs such as brassie, spoon, long and short irons, and the putter, with equal effect. In fact it is our intention to equip a complete set of golf clubs with handles or gripping members such as described in the foregoing.

It will be noted that'with a grip constructed in accordance with our invention no sheepskin or other wrapping is necessary as the peculiar curvature of the gripping portions so fill the encircling hands of the golfer as to facilitate a positive, firm grip which eliminates slipping of the hands. Of course it may be desirable in some instances to employ a suitable wrapping or cover but such wrapping or cover should and must conform to the external shape and curvature hereinbefore described. l

Furthermore, our invention contemplates a grip constructed in accordance with our invention which may be of an auxiliary nature and adaptable for application to clubs of conventional structure. In such instances it would be essential to line the gripping member up to the proper angle with the face of the club head and to provide means for positively locking such gripping member in place, such for example as transverse pins extending through the gripping member and shaft.

From the foregoing it is believed that the objects and advantages of our invention may be readily understood by those skilled in the art without further description, it being borne in mind that numerous changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is.-

1. In a golf club, a handle comprising two c0- axial gripping portions, substantially oval in cross section, each of said gripping portions being reduced at its longitudinal extremities and gradually bulging towards its longitudinal center, said gripping portions being arranged at a transverse angle with respect to the face of the head of Said golf club and at a slight angle with respect to one another, to insure the proper relative positions of the hands of a golfer with respect to one another and to the face of the club.

2. In a golf club, a handle comprising two gripn ping portions, one of said gripping portions terminating at one end toward the head of the club in an enlarged knob which gradually tapers rearwardly into a reduced neck portion to accommo date the thumb and forenger of the forward hand of the golfer, said neck portion merging rearwardly into a gradually enlarged body which is substantially oval in cross section, said body being adapted to accommodate the remaining gripping ngers of the forward hand, said body portion being gradually reduced towards the rear extremity of the handle and terminating in a second neck for accommodating the thumb and forenger of the rear hand, said second neck gradually merging into a second enlarged body, the latter being substantially oval in cross section and arranged at a slight angle with respect to the first body, said second body terminating in a reduced portion for receiving the little finger of the rear hand, and from thence flaring to the rear end of the club into a portion-adapted to engage the heel of the rearward hand of the golfer, both of said bodies being arranged at an angle to the face of the club.

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larged portion and the space between the twoneck portions being adapted to be engaged by the thumb and forenger and the remaining gripping iingers of the leading hand of the golfer,

said portion and the enlarged outer end, and the said enlarged outer end being adapted to be engaged by the thumb, forenger, the other gripping ngers and the heel of the other hand.

CLIFFORD LUSSKY. MORTIMER W BRUMLEVE.

' and the second neck portion, the space between 

